If your fantasy football dreams were crushed this season, there's good news. It's never too early to start thinking about next year.

The 2024 fantasy football season may just have been put in the rearview mirror, but you can allow yourself to start thinking about 2025 fantasy drafts, even as the 2024 NFL playoffs coast along. 

Below is a way-too-early lookahead at how we see the first round taking shape in PPR redraft formats — with a few picks likely to surprise you. As a bonus, we also lay out a top-12 2025 ranking for each of the four major positions. That represents the top tier as of now for 12-team leagues before the NFL Draft. Free agency and offseason trades will potentially alter things.

As you plant the seeds for next season’s run at fantasy glory, make sure to renew your season-long league on Sleeper and check out the mock draft lobby at any time in the coming months to get a better handle on the landscape as it evolves.

Onto the picks


Pick 1: WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals superstar won the NFL’s triple crown, leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Of course those stats translated to fantasy football, where Chase’s 23.7 PPR points per game were the most by any flex-eligible player this season. 

The Bengals defense should be a below-average unit once again in 2025, and there’s a chance Tee Higgins is on a new team next season. Expect more shootout-game environments for Cincinnati, with double-digit targets funneled to the big-play machine each week.

Pick 2: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

The second-year runner rose to fantasy superstardom in 2024, topping 25 fantasy points in all three games during the fantasy playoffs to finish as the RB2 in PPR fantasy points per game. 

It may not have counted for most fantasy leagues, but his 46-point, four-TD performance in Week 18 was the second-best performance by any RB in ‘24. Gibbs’ floor was also the highest among all skill players, as he was the only flex-eligible option to rack up at least 70 total yards in each game this year. 

Tied to an elite offensive environment, Gibbs is a top-five fantasy back when David Montgomery is healthy, and the overall RB1 if Montgomery is injured.

Pick 3: RB Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Robinson was efficient as a rookie, but he received fewer than 13 carries per game. In his sophomore campaign, Robinson was given the keys to the feature-back role, as he averaged 18 carries and 3.6 receptions per game — only Saquon Barkley had more touches at the position. 

Robinson finished with 1,887 total yards, 15 TDs and the third-best fantasy points per game average among RBs (20.1). The Falcons offense could take a significant step forward in 2025 with a full season of Michael Penix under center, as Robinson scored multiple TDs in all three of the rookie’s starts.

Pick 4: WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

After a record-setting rookie year, Nacua failed to reach 1,000 yards in 2024 (990 yards in 11 games). However, Nacua left two of those 11 games early, suffering a severe knee injury in the first half of Week 1, along with an ejection during the first half of Week 9. 

That leaves us with a nine-game sample of more complete games, where Nacua averaged more than eight receptions, 104 receiving yards and 21.8 PPR fantasy points per game — only Chase averaged more points per game in 2024 overall. 

Cooper Kupp’s age-related decline should only allow for more targets to get funneled from the gunslinging Matthew Stafford to Nacua in 2025. There’s increased injury risk with Nacua compared to most wideouts, but he actually showed improvement from his historic Year 1 when you really dive in.

Pick 5: WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

The last couple of games notwithstanding, Sam Darnold played well above anyone’s expectations, and Jefferson had his third season with over 1,500 receiving yards. Only Jerry Rice (four) has more — and Jefferson is still just 25. 

Jefferson is about as safe as you can get in Round 1, given his production profile and talent level. He finished as the WR3 in fantasy points per game, and if Darnold returns, there’s potential for an even better showing next season as they continue to build rapport.

Pick 6: RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

At first glance, this ranking for Barkley may appear too low. He led all RBs in touches (378), rushing yards (2,005), total yards (2,283) and fantasy points per game (22.2) in 2024. The Eagles arguably have the league’s best offensive line, too. Barkley’s issues for 2025 partially stem from his outrageous 2024 usage, since the soon-to-be 28-year-old has a long injury history and is coming off the heaviest workload of his career. Both Gibbs and Robinson are five years younger, with far less tread on the tires.

Barkley also has a Jalen Hurts problem. Despite playing in two more full games than Hurts, Barkley actually had fewer rushing TDs (13) than Hurts (14), courtesy of the “tush push.” Hurts’ mobility also results in fewer running back dump-offs, as Barkley’s 33 receptions were significantly lower than both Robinson (61) and Gibbs (52). 

Pick 7: RB De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins

The pint-sized speedster played 11 games with Tua Tagovailoa this past season, and he was nothing short of remarkable. Achane averaged more than 19 touches, 104 total yards and 22.6 PPR fantasy points per game — which would have placed him as fantasy RB1 on average ahead of Saquon Barkley. 

Unfortunately, Tagovailoa’s health will be up in the air each season because of his concussion history, and Achane averaged a paltry 6.7 fantasy points per game with non-Tua starters during the fantasy season. Achane is the right first-round pick for drafters willing to take a risk.

Pick 8: WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans

Collins has finished top-seven in fantasy points per game in back-to-back seasons, and he averaged an additional target per game this year compared to last. Tank Dell (leg) is unlikely to play in 2025, and Stefon Diggs (ACL) is a free agent. With any type of C.J. Stroud bounce-back after a tough 2024 season, we could be looking at Collins as a potential challenger to Chase’s WR1-overall crown. 

Pick 9: WR Malik Nabers, New York Giants

Nabers broke Nacua’s rookie record for receptions, finishing with 109 despite missing two games due to injury. Perhaps even more impressive was Nabers led the entire NFL in targets per game (11.3), finishing well above the second-place Chase (10.3) in this category. 

The exciting, big play receiver was the WR6 in fantasy points per game, despite catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle. The quarterback situation will certainly improve, and Nabers could realistically finish atop the position in fantasy points next season.

Pick 10: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown’s receiving yards per game fell by 20 yards from 2023 to 2024, as Jameson Williams and Gibbs stepped up their involvement in the Lions offense. Fortunately, St. Brown is tied to the league’s most exciting unit, and he caught a career-high 12 TDs. 

St. Brown has finished as the WR4 in points per game each of the past two seasons, and he’s a very safe pick near the end of the round. However, unlike the receiving names before him, it’s hard to see St. Brown ascending to the overall WR1.

Pick 11: WR Brian Thomas Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars

Thomas had a strong start to his rookie season, averaging 65 receiving yards and 13.8 fantasy points per game (WR25) through Week 14. Then, Thomas really turned it on during the final month, averaging the most fantasy points per week during the final four games (25.5). 

Those final games were all with Mac Jones at QB, and the expectation is Thomas will get Trevor Lawrence back, along with an offensive coordinator upgrade in 2025. Over the past decade, Nacua, Chase and Jefferson are the only receivers to put up more yards during their rookie campaigns, and none of them had to play an entire month with a backup QB like Thomas did.

Pick 12: TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Bowers can officially claim the most receptions by a rookie, as his 112 catches slightly surpassed Nabers’ 109 — though Nabers played two fewer games. Beyond that, Bowers’ 1,194 receiving yards were the sixth-most by any rookie over the past decade. 

We also need to remember that the bar for fantasy success at tight end is much lower than wide receiver. Only George Kittle had more fantasy points per game than Bowers’ 15.5 at the position, and Bowers’ paltry TD output (five) should increase assuming the Raiders upgrade at QB in 2025. For comparison sake, the Giants and Patriots were the only teams to throw fewer touchdowns than the Raiders in ‘24. 

We just witnessed the greatest ever rookie tight end season, by a significant margin, and Bowers absolutely deserves to be in the Round 1 conversation for 2025 drafts.

Way-Too-Early Top-12 Ranking By Position

Quarterbacks

  1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
  2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
  3. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
  4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
  5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
  6. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  7. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
  8. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
  9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
  10. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
  11. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
  12. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Running Backs

  1. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
  2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
  3. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  4. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
  5. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
  6. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
  7. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
  8. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  9. Breece Hall, New York Jets
  10. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
  11. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
  12. James Cook, Buffalo Bills

Wide Receivers

  1. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
  2. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
  3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
  4. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
  5. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
  6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
  7. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
  8. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
  9. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
  10. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
  11. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
  12. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers

Tight Ends

  1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
  2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
  3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
  4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
  5. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
  6. Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins
  7. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
  8. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
  9. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
  10. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
  11. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
  12. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Get more breakdowns like this sent directly to your inbox with the Sleeper Newsletter. Sign up below for timely updates, fantasy insights and exclusive analysis using Sleeper proprietary data.